Window and car construction



Sept. 29, 1942. M. M. DEAN WINDOW AND CAR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .llllll INVENTOR. 171/0 [7. Dean Filed June 6, 1940 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 29, 1942. M. M. DEAN WINDOW AND CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR. liilo IZDean Ak fl ATTORN x 9 l J E g/g.

Patented Sept. 29, 1942 WINDOW 2,291,051 AND CAB cons'rnnc'rron Milo M. Dean, New Kensington, Pa., assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 6, 1940, Serial No. 339,108

7 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to improvements in window and vehicle construction, and in particular to railway car construction. The invention generally pertains to the novel arrangement and assembly of structural members incorporated in window sash structures which are particularly applicable in the construction of railway coaches, subway cars, streetcars, motorbuses, and the like, although not necessarily limited thereto.

It is one of the. principal objects of the present invention to provide a vehicle construction incorporating windows supported entirely upon the outside of a car body.

Another object of the invention is the provision of outside-mounted window sashes which are movable past the window sills of acar body to permit continuous, unbroken sill construction along the entire length, of a bank of such windows.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a window construction in which an unbroken sill of uniform width is provided over the entire length of any single group of windows.

It is another object of the invention to provide a window construction which does not include, in any given bank of such windows, interiorly extending window posts between adjacent windows.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a car construction which results in a maximum interior body width entirely devoid of interiorly exposed window sash retaining instrumentalities, such as removable screws, nuts, or

I the like.

be taken of modern streamlining in modern car design.

Further and additional objects and advantages of the present invention will appear on consideration of the following description of a preferred form of embodiment thereof taken in connection with the attached drawings illustrative thereof, and in which: 7

tion to anenlarged scale taken along the line IIlI of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates afragmentary sectional view .to enlarged scale taken along the line III-lIl of Fi 1: T

Fig. 4 illustrates a fragmentary front elevational view of an upper comer of a window sash;

Fig. 5 illustrates a fragmentary sectional elevation to the same scale as Fig. 3, and showing a top and bottom sill construction and mounting for the window structure of this invention;

Fig. 1 illustrates a partial side elevation of a vehicle or car body;

Fig. 2 illustrates a fragmentary sectional elevat5 Fig. 6 illustrates a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 illustrates a fragmentary sectional elevation to an enlarged scale taken along the line VIIVII of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 illustrates a fragmentary sectional elevation, to the same scale as Fig. 7, taken along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 1.

In its preferred embodiment, the car and window sash of this invention comprises an arrangement and construction wherein the windows of a car, or similar structure, are supported upon, and exterior to, the body panel of a car body between the belt rail and letter board, or equivalent members. Window sash supported in this manner permits the use of a single sash, top drop window structure which may be slidingly movable on the outside of the car body, thereby eliminating the necessity of double sashes, or slotted window sills, and guard rails as in the case of bottom lift sashes. The outside window sash mounting likewise provides for continuous window sills along a bank of windows, uninterrupted by the customarily employed vertical window posts. The continuous and unbroken window sill further serves as a strengthening flange or cord member for the side panels of a car body, and as such, is particularly advantageous in that type of car construction wherein the body sides are employed as web girders carrying the loads imposed on the car structure.

It is also significant that bottom lift window sash constructions adapt and lend themselves readily to the general concept of the present invention, in which latter case the outside surface ofthe window sashes lies in a plane substantially co-planar with the plane of the outside surface of the panel of a car body, and when raised, the window sashes disappear within suitable slots adjacent the window header. In other respects the windows of this embodiment of the invention are exteriorly secured,- and incorporate an unbroken sill construction (without intermediate window posts) along the entire length of a bank of such windows.

Referring now to the illustrations for a detailed description of one embodiment of the present invention, it will be found that ill represents the side sheet of the panel of a streetcar or the like which is provided with the usual letter board 12 and belt rail I4. In the preferred embodiment of the invention herein described, the panel In is omitted between any pair of car body posts to provide a window opening in the side of the car for the mounting of a bank of window sashes to cover such opening. Vertically disposed with re! spect to the letter board I2 and belt rail l4 are window end guides l5 which are secured in abutting relationship with the outside surface of panel In as by means of rivets l1. It is preferred to employ rivets of the Huck type, such as described in United States Letters Patent 2,061,629, patented November 24, 1936. By reference to Fig. 8, it will be noted that the rivets I! are countersunk, or disposed in suitable notches, on the exterior side of the end guides l5, and that they can be driven from the outside surface of the car body, since such rivets do not require backing-up on the interior of the car body. This type of rivet further permits assembly and mounting of the end guides l5 against adjacent double wall portions of the car body. 4

Intermediate window sash dividers [6 are also employed in the construction and mounting of a bank of windows. The dividers l6 are substantially the full equivalent of end guides l5 but are secured only at their ends. Reference to Fig. 7 illustrates the preferred manner in which the dividers l6 are secured to the car body, the dividers being recessed or stepped at their lower ends, as at I8, and secured to the body of the vehicle by rivets l9. Adjacent their upper ends the dividers iii are preferably riveted in place by means of rivets l9 which extend through rail members 4|] and 4|. Since the panel I does not extend across that portion of the car body between the letter board l2 and belt rail [4 that is in registry with a bank of window sashes, it is preferred to provide a filler strip 20 adjacent the inside surface of the dividers l6. This filler strip 20 serves the dual purpose of providing an abutment for the window sashes on the inside of a car body, as well as positioning the dividers l6 and end guides l in a common plane. The strips 20 may be spot-welded, or otherwise secured to the inside surfaces of dividers 16.

The end guides l5 and dividers l6 are substantially equal in length to the depth of the windows in an upper closed position (Fig. 1), and are spaced laterally a distance substantially equal to the width between windows in any group or bank of the same.

Each window comprises top and bottom rail members 22 which for all practical purposes are identical in construction, and side rail members 24 which are also identical to each other in construction. The rail members 22 and 24 may be fabricated in any number of ways, as by forming the same from sheet metal, although extrusion readily adapts itself to the production of the side rails 24, whereas the top and bottom rail members 22 are preferably castings. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, the side rail members 24, which have been illustrated as extruded aluminum alloy sections, are connected to the top and bottom rail. members 22, which have been cast to include the arcuate corner portion 25, through the medium of suita ble internal splice members 26 (Fig.4) ,which have been illustrated as integral tenons depending from the cast rail members 22. Window guides 28 of substantial channel or U-shape are provided in association with the side rails 24 (Fig. 3) of each window sash. The guides 28 are provided with suitable resilient sealing and vibration-eliminating members 30, such as rubber strips, which may be vulcanized or otherwise secured thereto. The guides 28, together with the associated sealingvmedium 30, are of substantially the same length as the side rails 24 of the window sashes, and oppositely disposed pairs of guides 28 embrace the side rails 24 of a window sash adjacent the aforedescribed guides l5 and dividers It.

The top and bottom rail members 22 of each window sash are preferably cast in substantially H cross-section, and are provided with an undercut, grooved member 31 secured as by flat-head screws 32 to integral rib portions 33 of each rail member. A resilient sealing and cushioning member 34, which may be of rubber or other suitable material, is suitably secured within the undercut member 3|. The purpose of members 34 will be hereinafter more fully described.

In mounting the windows upon the exterior of the car body, each window sash is placed within its guide members 28 which in turn are placed between a pair of oppositely disposed complementary dividers H5, or between a divider l6 and end guide l5, secured to the exterior of the car body. Suitable molding or finishing strips 35 are thereafter attached as by suitable machine screws 36 to the exterior surface of the dividers I6 separating adjacent window sashes. Also the extreme end guides l5 are provided with molding or finishing strips 31 secured thereto as by machine screws 38. It will be noted that the finishing strips 35 and 31 overlap the vertical window guide members 28 and thereby slidably secure the window sashes in place upon the exterior of the car body. It is to be also noted that the finishing strips 35 and 31 are substantially equal in length to the side rails 24 of each sash, and present the only detachable members through the medium of which the window sashes may be mounted upon the exterior of the car body.

Mounted adjacent the bottom edge of letter board l2 are suitable rolled or extruded members 40 and 4| which serve as a bottom cord for the letter board, as well as a window header, and provide a downwardly open pocket 42. Positioned within the pocket 42 and held therein by means of the laterally and inwardly extending projections 43 is a suitableresilient cushioning or vibration-eliminating member 44. The member 44 is preferably constructed from rubber and, in its preferred form, is generally tubular in orm.

The belt rail I4 consists of a rolled or extruded angular section having an outwardly projecting ledge 45, the substantially horizontal surface of ,which may be provided with an upstanding ridge or protuberance 46 extending over its entire length.

The aforedescribed resilient sealing and cushioning members 34, supported within the top and bottom edges of the top and bottom rail members 22, respectively, of the window sashes, serve as sealing members and vibration-eliminating members when a window sash is in raised closed or lowered open positions, respectively. In this connection, it is to be noted that the top resilient member 34 abuts against the tubular resilient member 44, thereby affording a water-tight resilient seal when the window is in its raised closed position. It is also to be noted that the bottong resilientmember 34 seats itself 'upon the upwardly-extending protuberance 46 on the belt rail section or ledge 45 when a window sash is in its lowered open position.

It will be seen that the construction above described permits the assembly of window sashes in banks consisting of two or more windows having an unbroken, uninterrupted window sill 48 extending at least the entire length of such a bank of window sashes. Window posts 49 (Fig. 3) are disposed only at the extreme ends of banks of windows, as distinguished from normal car construction wherein window posts are provided between adjacent window sashes, at which points the window sill would be interrupted by such posts.

It is also significant to note that the means for securing the windows upon-the exterior of a car body, such as the molding strips 35 and 31, end guides 15, and dividers I6, are entirely mounted and secured from the exterior of the car body and do not incorporate securing .means which extend into the interior of the car in an exposed, removable condition.

Suitable latch members 50 in the form of spring-pressed pull pin members 5| are employed adjacent the top corners of each window sash within ready reach of the occupants of the car, whereby the window sashes may be lowered into open position in contact with the belt rail section 45.

The windows are suitably glazed, the glass in each instance being mounted and supported within rubber or other resilient, anti-vibration material 52 which is suitably supported within the inwardly disposed legs or edges of the window sash rail members 22 and 24.

Although the invention has been described by reference to a, specific embodiment and example of the same, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto except as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle construction, a bank of windows comprising a plurality of adjacent individual window sashes, a window sill extending the entire length of said bank of windows, dividers between adjacent window sashes, end guides at the remote edges of the end sashes, the inner faces of said dividers and end guides and the outer face of said sill being substantially co-planar, and

said sill extending inwardly an uninterrupted uniform width over its entire length as measured from the plane of said end guides and dividers.

2. In a passenger car, a bank of windows therefor comprising a plurality of adjacent individual window sashes, means secured to the car body .for mounting said sashes against said body for o for comprising a plurality of adjacent individual window sashes, a window sill mounted in the wall of the car body with its outer face flush with the exterior surface of said car body for attachment of car body side sheets thereto and extending inwardly therefrom an uninterrupted uniform width over its entire length, said sill being continuous along said bank of windows and forming a structural part of the car body, dividers between and common to adjacent window sashes. end blocks at the remote edges of the end sashes, means to attach said dividers and end blocks in vertical position upon the exterior surface of said car body and said sill, said sashes being disposed between the inner and outer faces of said dividers and end blocks, and means associated with said end blocks and dividers for slidably supporting said sashes at their lateral margins for moveniiltlent downwardly along said outer face of said s 4. A structure as specified in claim 3 in which said attaching means are recessed in the outer faces of said end blocks and said dividers, and wherein said means for slidably supporting said sashes comprise facing strips secured to the inner and outer faces of said dividers and to the outer faces of said end blocks, said facing strips overlying the adjacent portions of said sashes, said inner strips being permanently secured in position and said outer facing strips being detachably secured in position by means applied from the exterior of the said car for permitting placement of said window sashes only from the exterior of said car body.

5. In a top drop window construction for passenger cars of the class described, the combi nation with side wall frame members of a car body including an outside belt rail, of a continuous horizontal sill connected at its ends to said frame members and cooperating therewith to form a finished window opening inside the car, said sill having a downwardly extending face portion located in the exterior plane of the car body and secured to said belt rail, a plurality of window sashes disposed in side by side relation against the exterior of the car body, means slidably supporting said window sashes in said position, means cooperating with the upper edges of said sashes for sealing the same in closed position, and an outwardly projecting flange on said belt rail spaced below the top surface of said sill for seating of said sashes thereon when moved downwardly from said sealing means into an open position.

6. In a window construction for passenger cars having an elongated opening in the side wall structure thereof, a continuous horizontal window sill incorporated in said side wall structure and defining the bottom of said window opening, said sill having a continuous horizontal ledge on its outer face disposed below the top surface thereof, a horizontal member cooperating with said wall structure to form a downwardly open pocket at the upper outer edge of said window opening, a plurality of adjacent window sashes having their upper edge portions disposed in said pocket and being vertically movable with respect thereto into and out of seating engagement with said ledge, and upright members extending across said window opening for slidably supporting said window sashes "at their lateral margins, said members having their lower ends secured to said outer face of said sill and their upper ends extended into said pocket and secured to the said side wall structure.

'7. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with a vehicle body having a horizontally elongated window opening, of a window sash assembly disposed against the exterior of said body in position to cover said opening, said assembly comprising a series of horizontally spaced vertical window sash guides, the intermediate sash guides being of substantially H-shape in cross section, and a window sash slidabl-y supported at its lateral margins between each adja- 

